Tag Archives: iPad

I’d hate to be the recipient of something stuffed into a Prank Pack. You know, those gift boxes that advertise outrageous (but fake) products on the outside while containing something different (but hopefully better) on the inside. This gift right here by Reddit user rad_rob to his girlfriend is sort of like that, minus the prank part because he used an iPad box.

But what’s inside isn’t an iPad–although it’ll probably give his girlfriend the surprise (and shock) of her life. Hit the break to check out what he gave his girl.

The iPad’s size is perfect for multi-player gaming. In fact, there are a lot of games out there that should be played by more than one player, like the quiz game that you can play with the AppQuiz iPad accessory.

It looks like half an octopus (minus the head), but it’s actually four buzzers that players are supposed to whack or press to take their turn. It comes with a free, game show-type app that features thousands of questions and a virtual host named Chuck Boldhart to keep things fun and entertaining. The AppQuiz dock itself is also compatible with the iPhone, but that would mean that all four players would have to squeeze a bit tighter together so they can see what’s being displayed on the screen.

Hit the jump to check out a video of the AppQuiz in action, along with links on where you can get it.

Why anyone would need a gadget that can charge and carry 16 (yes, that’s right, sixteen) iPads is beyond me. But hey, it probably still has its own place and target market in a world where some people would pay a thousand dollars to chew on a popsicle with gold flakes in it.

In all seriousness, the InSync Transport Case was probably designed and meant for use by sports team managers or executives who might need to handle or carry around over a dozen iPads at a time. Measuring 26 x 20 x 15-inches, the case is a bit on the heavy side, weighing in at 39 pounds. It’s pretty tough too, since it’s made to withstand heavy impact and the harsh elements of the outside. (But then again, why would billionaires be trekking out in the great outdoors with 16 iPads in tow?!)

The Smart Cover for the iPad is one of the best accessories you can get for it; it protects the device, locks it when covering the front and can be used as a stand. But as clever as the design is already, it could be made better. See, when used as a stand, there are only two possible angles: a very shallow angle pointing almost straight up, or a very steep angle with the device pointing almost straight forward. But what if you want something in between? Enter the Smarter Stand. It’s a set of very simple plastic clips that bind two sections of the cover together, preventing them from folding and giving you a ton of new options. Depending on how you combine the clips, you can now rest your iPad at 33 degrees, 45 degrees, or even a shallow 15 degree inclination but with a privacy screen that prevents someone in front of you from seeing what you’re doing.

It’s up on pre-order on the fully funded Kickstarter project for $11 until the early-bird deal runs out, after which it’s $14.

Holding stuff in your hands is for losers. Especially when you’re in bed. Then you just want to turn into a sloppy rag of a human being and holding something an iPad up to your face sucks. That’s where the Tablift enters. It positions itself as a better alternative than the myriad iPad stands on the market currently. These are prone to either tipping over when on an unstable surface, or needing a sturdy surface (like a floor) on which to rest their weighted bases. The Tablift instead features four twistable legs and a three-slotted receptacle that lets it cradle the tablet in three different positions (and angles): sitting, reclining and lying down. Its wide base means it won’t tip over on an unstable surface, while it’s spider-like configuration means you can just rest it on your bed, even when no floor is available around you. And finally, since its legs are twistable, the entire thing can be made small and very portable.

Currently it’s a $55 pre-order on Kickstarter, which will go up to $60 once the early-bird models have sold out.

There’s a project getting some steam on Kickstarter that would bring back the old timey joys of the Etch-A-Sketch for the iPad generation. Granted, there may be kids out there who have no idea what we’re talking about, but those of you who played with one back when this was the toy to have will be pleased to know about the lengths that the team behind this is going to in order to preserve the authentic feel of the original. It’s called The Etcher and is a special case for all three generations of iPads that would emulate the toy. And although it’s not set in stone, as it would entail higher fabrication costs, the Ohio Art company (makers of the toy, and owners of the trademark) have expressed willingness to manufacture it. And even if they don’t end up making it, they’ve already granted a license, and quite enthusiastically. A lot of effort is going into small details, such as programming a stylus that is visible underneath the line being drawn, as well as the line getting darker with multiple passes of this stylus, just like in the original. And it would work pretty much as you’d imagine, except with some added iPad perks. For example, shaking the thing would erase your image, but it wouldn’t have to be gone for good; you could save it or share it with friends.

At the moment you can pre-order yours on Kickstarter (and help contribute to their reaching their funding goal) for $60. Estimated shipping would be sometime in October of this year.

A lot of good things can be said about the iPad and the post-PC revolution it seems to be ushering. But for those of us who spent their youths on Windows, the linearity of iOS’s multitasking is really frustrating. While it’s possible to look at several windows at once on a machine running Redmond’s code, the fact that you have to double-tab the home button on an iPad and then explicitly pick the next app you want to look at it stupid; the iPad does multitask processing, but not user-interacting. However if you’ve jailbroken your device, you can bring back a bit of logic with an application called Quasar, by Pedro Franceschi. As you can imagine, it gives you windows, which you can resize and drag around like you’re used to on a PC, without giving up any of the perks of iOS. This is particularly useful for those iPhone-only apps which would take up the entire screen when they’d really be much more useful tucked in a corner somewhere instead.

Watch the video below; the app seems to run quite well. It’s not free however: $10 on the Cydia app store. Just search for it.

Let’s face it, the camera on the iPad (or any tablet for that matter) is utilitarian at best. It’s not meant to shoot anything that’s supposed to look, you know, good. We’re not saying the shots look bad, but the optics on that thing just don’t have cinema-quality depth of field and focusing range that more expensive lenses bring to the fray. The Padcaster changes the dynamics somewhat by letting you use those very lenses with the iPad. It’s a sturdy case with a soft polyurethane insert, and threaded holes all around so you can put it on a tripod, attach some lights and just generally build yourself a decent recording rig. More importantly, there’s the $79 Lenscaster mount, for those superior optics we said were so important. The advantage here being that you can shoot some pretty decent video, edit it right on the iPad and upload it to wherever you need it to go without having to transfer any files anywhere.

If you’re looking for an external keyboard and a case for your iPad 2, the above might be a good all-in-one solution for you. Not only will it nestle and protect your tablet, it contains a Lithium-Ion battery that will give you some extra juice as well. The keyboard will connect through Bluetooth, and there are USB and Micro-USB ports on the side. We’re not sure how these will interface with the iPad seeing as its not exactly setup for USB use, however if you’ve jailbroken your device and installed iFile then you’ll basically have jerry-rigged a full blown laptop. Granted, iOS will still limit the things you’re able to do, but it’s as close as you’ll get without spending the extra dough.

The Notebook Case for iPad is $75 through Japanese retailer Rakuten, which means its US-based partner buy.com could have it in stock in the near future.

OhGizmo! is a frequently updated blog that focuses on covering items that will appeal to a very specific and often very passionate audience: the geek. Aside from the fare of innovative consumer electronic products, the reader can expect to find news about geek culture, absurd inventions, awe inspiring technology, and an ever growing assortment of articles that we like to think fit within our view of what we’re calling the Geek Lifestyle.